1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a slide rail device, and more particularly to an automatic position restoring slide rail device having the features of a simple structure, easy-to-manufacture and easy-to-assemble features, and a good operability to meet the cost-effective requirement of its manufacture and application.
2. Description of the Related Art
Pull cabinets or drawers are used extensively for containing and storing things or tools, and thus slide rails are generally installed on both sides of the cabinets or drawers to facilitate a stable operation of opening or closing operations of pulling, sliding or positioning the cabinets or drawers. To make it easier and more convenient for users to push and close the cabinets or drawers, the slide rails further integrate an automatic position restoring mechanism, such that if a user pushes the cabinet or drawer to an end section, the automatic position storing mechanism will draw the cabinet or drawer backward automatically by a pulling force and secure the cabinet or drawer at a closed position. With reference to FIG. 1 for an automatic position restoring technology of a conventional slide rail as disclosed in R.O.C. Pat. No. M287625, the slide rail comprises: a guide device, a guide slot disposed on a surface of a base, and composed of a linear portion and an arrowhead portion interconnected with a front end of the guide slot; a connecting device, comprising a slide element and a swing element pivotally coupled to the front of the connecting device, at least one guide tenon protruded from the bottom of the slide element and the swing element, and a bar-shaped guide column sheathed to the guide slot, and a hook slot disposed on a side of the swing element; a resilient element, with both ends coupled to the slide element and an object respectively; a hook bolt, including at least one latch gear protruded at a position corresponding to the hook slot of the swing element, for installing the guide device at an internal wall of an object, and installing the hook bolt at an external wall of another object in a corresponding direction, such that when the other object is pulled outward, the resilient element is extended, and if the guide column is in contact with an external edge of the arrowhead portion, the swing element is swung back and attached and fixed to an aslant wall of the arrowhead portion in a downwardly slanting position, such that the hook bolt is released from the latch of the swing element; if the other object is inserted, the latch gear of the hook bolt will be in contact with the internal wall of the hook slot at the swing element of the arrowhead portion and accommodated in the hook slot to release the latch, so that the resilient element is retreated to drive the connecting device and the hook bolt to restore their positions along the linear portion (as described in the patent specification of R.O.C. Pat. No. M287625). Although the aforementioned prior art can achieve the automatic position restoring function of the drawer, the resilient element is connected to the passive slide element, and the shock absorbing device for reducing shocks is also connected and operated actively with the passive slide element, and thus the resilient restoring function is weakened substantially, and the hydraulic cylinder type shock absorbing device is extended/contracted and operated at the passive slide element, and thus the shock absorbing device is worn out and damaged easily, and the shock absorbing device may cause a failure easily, so as to affect the life expectancy of the overall shock absorbing function adversely. Obviously, the foregoing prior art is not a good design. Due to the resilience and the shock absorbing force are the key points of the design of automatic position restoring drawers of this sort, the present technology uses a larger resilience to work with a passive shock absorbing structure to achieve the design, but such prior art is not applicable for the application of this structure, and also requires further improvements. Therefore, it is an important subject for related manufacturers and designers to overcome the shortcomings of the conventional automatic position restoring slide rails.
In view of the aforementioned shortcomings of the prior art, the inventor of the present invention based on years of experience in the related industry to conduct researches and experiments, and finally developed an automatic position restoring slide rail device with a smoother operation, a low cost and a durable feature in accordance with the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.